New museum’s facilities in the Middle Trading Rows in Red Square are due to open in the early 2020s

MOSCOW, April 17. /TASS/. The Moscow Kremlin Museums were visited by 2.5 million people in 2016, which beat the previous year’s record, the museum’s Director General, Elena Gagarina, said in an interview with TASS.

"The normal number for our museum is 1.8 million per year, but last year we received almost 2.5 million," she said. "According to Gagarina, this record high number of visitors makes museum employees think about limiting the number of visitors by imposing ticket quotas. However, there are no plans to raise their prices.

TASS earlier reported that in 2015 the Moscow Kremlin Museums had a record number of visitors - more than 2 million. At that time the museum accommodated four exhibitions, namely " Map of Russia. Milestones in History," "Memory of the Victory. Awards of World War Two," "European Orders of Knighthood" and "Boris Godunov. From a Courtier to the Sovereign of All Russia" visited by hundreds of thousands of people. Besides, a new display opened in the southern annex of the Archangel Cathedral. It is devoted to the Ascension Monastery destroyed in 1929. In 2016, the museum presented the exhibitions titled "Jewels Inspired by Nature. Ilgiz F.," "Sculptor Vasily Konovalenko. A Sculptor of Gems" and "Elegace and Splendor of Art Deco."

This year the Moscow Kremlin Museums display the exposition titled "Saint Louis and the Relics of Sainte-Chapele." The museum is planning to accommodate the exhibitions titled "Beyond Imagination. Treasures of Imperial Japan from the Khalili Collection" and "Lords of the Ocean. Treasures of the Portuguese Empire of the 16th-18th Centuries."

In addition to temporary exhibitions, quite a few people visit the Moscow Kremlin Museums’ permanent exhibitions and cathedrals. "We will not increase ticket prices this year, that’s for sure, while the number of visitors will be regulated by introducing ticket quotas. Unfortunately, those who were unable to visit the museum this time will have to come some other time. Yes, that’s quite unpleasant, but what will happen if we receive two more million visitors?" Gagarina said.

She noted that the main reason for limiting the number of visitors is concern for preserving the monuments, among them the Patriarch’s Palace, the Ivan the Great Bell Tower and the Armory Chamber. New museum’s facilities in the Middle Trading Rows in Red Square are due to open in the early 2020s. They are expected to be visited by 4.5 million people per year.